The University of Wyoming soccer team opened the 2005 Tulsa Soccer Invitational with a 2-2 tie against Tulsa, Friday night at the Tulsa Soccer and Track Stadium in Tulsa, Okla.

The Cowgirls (2-0-2) played to their second tie in as many games, despite leading by a goal for much of the second half.

Tulsa (1-2-2) scored the first goal of the game when Lauren Gilliland took a free kick and found Jennifer Kacergis for a header and the go ahead goal at the 44:07 mark of the first half. The Cowgirls answered early in the second half on a goal by freshman Amanda Lathrop at the 61:55 mark. The goal was the first of her career and beat the Tulsa goalkeeper to the top right corner of the net. Senior Mercy Adetoye gave the Cowgirls a 2-1 lead at the 70:14 mark when she scored her third goal of the year from just inside the 18-yard box. However, that lead would not last as Carrie Schnarre scored on an assist from Nicole Macia with just 1:07 remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime.

In the extra periods, Tulsa outshot the Cowgirls 3-2 but neither team could convert any of their shots and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.

"It was very disappointing to be in control of the game the way we were and to not be able to come away with a win in the end," said UW head coach Anne Moore. "We were down at halftime and fought back hard to take the lead but couldn't hold on to it."

Adetoye led the Cowgirls with a game high, and school record tying, eight shots. In the match, the Cowgirls outshot the Golden Hurricane 19-12. Sophomore Ashley Sheppard got her first start of the year in the Cowgirl goal, after missing the beginning of the season with a shoulder injury. She made three saves in 110 minutes of action.

The Cowgirls will close out the invitational with a match against Oral Roberts on Sunday at 11 a.m (MST) at the University of Tulsa. Texas Tech will take on Tulsa that afternoon in the final game of the tournament.

In tonights other first round game, Oral Roberts beat Texas Tech 2-1.

"We have another game on Sunday that we have to get refocused for," added Moore. "That game will give us a chance to see how we respond and fight back from tonight's disappointing tie."